NAVAJO TRADITIONAL MEDICINE PRACTITIONER

Position Summary:

Under the general supervision of the Director of Behavioral Health Services, the Navajo Traditional Medicine Practitioner (NTMP) shall promote Navajo traditional healing in accordance with Sage Memorial Hospital’s (SMH) Mission, Vision, and Values Statement for the SMH service population. The NTMP will specialize in providing Navajo traditional education and providing prayers, simple ceremonies/blessings as requested. The NTMP will also serve as a resource to SMH staff and communities by providing information on Navajo traditional holistic beliefs and healing methods, and by creating a healing and harmonious environment. NTMP must be respected and accepted by community members.

This list of duties and responsibilities is illustrative only of the tasks performed by this position and is not all-inclusive.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Maintains regular attendance and punctuality.
• Ethically performs self-directed and independent decision-making in carrying out work.
• Must use initiative and resourcefulness for Navajo traditional methods.
• Serves as a patient care practitioner to incorporate Navajo traditional healing perspectives into the services provided.
• Possesses the ability to help those patients who incorporate other self-care methods, including but not limited to Western medicine modalities.
• Upholds and maintains the sanctity of the Navajo Traditional Medicine philosophy.
• Serves as practitioner to patients referred from medical, adjunct services (nursing, Community Health, Behavioral Health, or others), and self-referrals.
• Is respectful of the patient's personal information and has the ability to integrate such information into the traditional healing service.
• Work with patients in the most appropriate manner from the Navajo Traditional perspective.
• Offer suggestions of Navajo traditional treatment as a component of health care. This may include offering and performing simple ceremonies/blessings or advising patients to seek out other Navajo practitioners for traditional treatment.
• Acts as a diagnostician to provide holistic services to patients.

• Promotes individual responsibility through education for well-being.
• Promotes health promotion and disease prevention goals through collaborating with internal and external departments and agencies.
• Provides information on Navajo traditional and cultural practices to non-Navajo and non-native SMH staff to support basic understanding and awareness of Navajo philosophy and belief that will enhance and promote cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Work closely with medical and nursing staff to coordinate care.
• Collaborates with Behavioral Health, Social Workers, Health Educators, and other Allied Health Professionals as needed.
• Assist in developing, revising, and updating program policies and procedures.
• Evaluates program’s effectiveness and services development on a continuous basis.
• Facilitates and administers organization-wide activities that enhance the traditional (holistic) healing environment for patients.
• Assists with providing support and guidance with the facilitation of program functions.
• Works with division director to review program effectiveness in meeting goals and objectives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED).
• Progressive education in teaching, counseling, or leading up to a formal educational degree in behavioral health sciences preferred.
• Must possess at least four (4) years of experience in teaching or counseling in a healthcare environment.
• Experienced in Navajo traditional concepts, principles, practices, methods, and techniques required.
• Deemed as a respectable Navajo Traditional Practitioner among communities with knowledge in Navajo holistic healing.
• Must be certified as a Navajo Traditional Practitioner.
• Bilingual skills in English and the Navajo language preferred.
• Must maintain a valid, unrestricted, and insurable driver’s license.
• Must be able to pass the Employee Health Program requirements and background investigation successfully.

Knowledge, Abilities, Skills, and Certifications:

• Knowledge of basic medical treatment process.
• Ability to identify source of problem and develop a suitable course of action.
• Knowledge of concepts, principles, practices, methods, and techniques of Navajo Traditional Philosophy.
• Knowledge of Navajo traditional practices, i.e., supplies and materials.
• Ability to effectively exchange information clearly and concisely and present ideas, report facts and other information, and respond to questions as appropriate.
• Ability to use computers and company standard software specific to position, e.g., Microsoft applications.
• Ability to communicate with diverse populations, i.e., different age groups, professions, and ethnicities.
• Ability to analyze and interpret holistic diagnoses for patients.
• Skills in writing program reports and documentation.
• Ability to perform public speaking to small and large groups.
• Ability to organize program plan, design, implementation, and evaluation.
• Ability to use teaching and learning principles to teach to small or large groups.
• Ability to provide excellent customer service.

Professional Requirement:

• Completes annual training requirements.
• Maintains patient confidentiality at all times.
• Wears SMH identification while on duty.
• Represents the organizational policies regarding ethical business practices.

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and use hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to walk. The employee occasionally is required to stand, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Work Environment:

Work is generally performed in an office with moderate noise level. Extended hours and irregular shifts may be required.